The field of the invention relates generally to a blank and a polygonal container formed from the blank and more particularly, to a blank that may be formed into a polygonal container about a product to be contained therein.
Containers are frequently utilized to store and aid in transporting products. These containers can be square, hexagonal, or octagonal. The shape of the container can provide additional strength to the container. For example, octagonal-shaped containers provide greater resistance to bulge over conventional rectangular, square or even hexagonal-shaped containers. An octagonal-shaped container may also provide increased stacking strength.
In at least some known cases, a blank is formed into a container about a product to be contained therein. One known container, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,623 and 5,395,043, is formed from a blank that includes a sequence of at least four panels connected to one another via fold lines and having lateral flaps connected respectively to each panel via fold lines that are perpendicular to the fold lines interconnecting the panels. At least two of the panels are a first spaced-apart pair that each have cut-off corners. Each of the cut-off corners has at least one edge, and the pair of panels are the bottom and the top of the container. Lateral tongues extend from the side edges of the lateral flaps of the first pair of panels. The panels between the first pair of panels constitute a second spaced-apart pair that each have first and second lateral flaps extending from side edges thereof.
The first lateral flaps include cut-off corners adjacent a respective second lateral flaps. As such, each first lateral flap has a first width at top and bottom edges that is narrower than a second width near the center portion of each first lateral flap and has a first height adjacent one of the panels and a second height adjacent a respective second lateral flap, wherein the first height is larger than the second height. Accordingly, the height of each first lateral flap decreases from an adjacent panel toward a respective second lateral flap. Each second lateral flap is coupled to a first lateral flap where the first lateral flap has the second width and the second height. Each second lateral flap includes a free edge opposing a respective first lateral flap. The second pair of panels are connected to the first pair of panels at fold lines that are parallel to the fold lines of the first pair. After being folded, each tongue of the first pair of panels is secured to a respective first lateral flap of the second pair of panels. The blank includes twenty-four fold lines and twenty-five panels.
The container described in the '623 and the '043 patents includes tongues that are folded and secured to corner walls formed by the first lateral flaps. Accordingly, a need exists for an eight-sided container for wrapping around a product that includes fewer fold lines and/or panels than known eight-sided containers while also providing improved stacking strength.